


A Decision is Made

by Merfilly



Series: A New Order [14]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Force Ghost Qui-Gon Jinn, Gen, Jedi Code
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 04:20:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7743172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mace and Yoda talk, with a little interjection from a ghost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Decision is Made

Mace looked at Yoda and then shook his head once they were alone. "Master, I believe we are facing a difficult road."

"Think you that, do you? Know it, I do," Yoda told him with a wry expression. "Truth in words spoken. Truth in deeds done. Truth in past choices. Truth ahead? Time only may show."

Mace snorted at that. "The question is, how do we approach the reconciliation of those who disagree?"

Yoda closed his eyes and considered. "Have many choices for how one is a Jedi, we do. Add to this, we shall. A path bound to the community of soldiers, the families they will make."

"There are similarities to the Altisian Sect," Mace offered. "How do we approach the fact we cast Altis out yet let this schism survive within our ranks?"

"Reach out, we shall, bring Altis, others who have left, back to a more complete Order," Yoda said.

Mac stared for a long moment, then sat back in his chair. "Master, I am surprised by how you are handling the revelations today, especially of Kenobi being a member of this change. Care to enlighten me further? I know I am reevaluating my own reactions to many things in light of the revelations concerning Skywalker, but… I am still uneasy over the idea of accepting the Attachments we fall prey to as things on open display."

"Yet, in your words, admit there are attachments for many of us, you do," Yoda chided. "Letting go, that making hardships, understand I did not. Listen to one wiser than I, have I."

"Oh?" Mace was deeply curious.

"Spirit of Qui-Gon, sitting separate but within the Force, as told you before," Yoda said firmly.

Now Mace opened his mouth, afraid that the age had truly taken a toll on the ancient Master.

"Are you so certain that I, the one who often defied the Council and odds alike, wouldn't be as our Master says?" came a voice that was distinctly impossible to Mace's way of thinking. "It's getting a bit easier to make myself heard, now that you've all finally figured out the Sith's identity.

"Now, if I could only find a way to manifest near my Master and harangue him…" Qui-Gon mused aloud, still not visible in the least.

Mace Windu closed his mouth, decided that either he'd fallen into a very odd Vision, or that maybe he'd just failed to wake up this day. Obi-Wan going maverick? With Plo? On the same day Qui-Gon spoke from the dead to him? The simplest explanation was a dream.

"Confused and disbelieving you are," Yoda said, with a slight chuckle. "Crazy as I am, you must be, now, hmmm?"

"Suppose, for an instance, I accept that Jinn is in the room with us —"

"I am. Have been, frequently," said Master interjected. "I wouldn't have missed Obi-Wan's speech for any reason, today."

"— how does this affect the direction we guide the Order in, Master Yoda?" Mace continued, managing to ignore the fact Qui-Gon was doing his best to interrupt him, just like old times.

"Balance lost, it is. Master Kenobi, bringing possible answers, he is," Yoda said. "Long talks with Master Jinn; believe this, they lead me to."

Mace pondered that, without interference from the mouthy ghost, and then sighed. "There are many who will not accept a change to the Code like this."

"Many, yes. But more, lose will we, if we do not. Sith, still at large, are they. Give sway to new thinking, we will. Or survive, we will not." Yoda was firm on this. "Perhaps, fall will the galaxy, if the Order fails."

"Don't place too much importance on our role in all of this," Qui-Gon offered. "The galaxy will never tolerate oppression for long; the people will rebel. Our place is to prevent it from being necessary."

Mace couldn't help but glare in the direction of the voice. "Are you ever content with getting your way about something without registering yet another complaint?"

"No."

Yoda made a noise that sounded far too much like a chuckle, and Mace sighed.

"Let's at least review the data, let the others do that as well, and make a formal announcement, barring any strong calls for debate, at tomorrow's meeting," Mace finally suggested.

"A wise course," Qui-Gon chimed in, despite having no true standing in the Order as it was, and that was most certainly a chuckle from Yoda this time.

`~`~`~`~`

The data was reviewed, debate raged, but in the end, even Saesee Tiin admitted that splitting the Order over one small part of the Code was inviting the Sith to slaughter them all.

"The Order will remain whole," Mace Windu stated. "As we go forward, we will work out exactly how to guard all of us from the downfall of too much, or too little, Attachment. As of now, Attachments, by themselves, are not a matter for which a Jedi will be disciplined or subjected to exile from the Order."

"Who will decide the rules?" Jocasta Nu demanded.

"It seems only fair, Madame Nu, that it be a cooperative effort of the Old Guard and the New," Obi-Wan invited. "I'm absolutely certain you will bring much wisdom to the committee to iron out such matters." His face was smooth, his voice calm, and Mace had to bite his tongue at the impression of Jocasta having bitten into a sour citron. They'd barely pushed her into taking the Council seat again, when Master Rancisis had died. Serving on a committee certain to be full of argument would take away yet more time from her Archives.

"In the interest of keeping the Order whole," Mace interjected, to keep it from devolving, "the various temple sites we have been planning for will be encouraged to maintain something approaching a balance, when it comes to staffing from among the various paths we now have. And, as one more point, we will be reaching out to Altis, to offer his people the greater sanctuary of remaining affiliated with the Order."

Yoda looked around, well aware of the ghostly presence at his shoulder also surveying the Council, and knew Qui-Gon thought the maverick way of thinking would become the normal path in time. Yoda didn't even think he was wrong.

He only hoped that the events that had brought Attachments to an end in their history did not repeat themselves and make new tragedies for all.


End file.
